Something Worse Than Tears
by snow winter
Summary: This is the aftermath of the war for Draco Malfoy...how his love for Hermione is keeping him on his feet....keeping him alive...


**Something Worse Than Tears**

"Ready?" Harry asked his wife, Ginny as he grabbed a pot of Floo powder on the side table.

"Yeah." She replied as she adjusted the contents of the basket she's carrying.

He threw a handfull of Floo power at the flame which instantly turned emerald green. He stepped out of the way as he motioned his wife to go first. Ginny stepped in the fireplace and shouted in a loud, clear voice...

"Malfoy Manor!"

After she disappeared, he stepped in and bellowed in the same, clear voice...

"Malfoy Manor!"

He started to spin very fast and caught glimpses of different rooms as he went by. Finally, the spinning subsided and he arrived at his location. As he walked out to find Ginny talking to Narcissa Malfoy...

"Harry!" Narcissa smiled as she saw him walk towards them.

"Good morning Mrs. Malfoy." Harry smiled back as she hugs him. "I thought you were supposed to be in vacation in France."

"Well, what's to do there anyway, right?" She said, rather uncomfortably. "Anyway, I cooked. It's nice to have some homecooked meal today. You lot won't have to go out for lunch."

"Where's Draco?" Ginny's neck craned around the vast mansion.

"Oh, I think he's still upstairs, your a little early." Narcissa said as she accompanies them in the sitting room. "I'll go and get him, just sit and make yourselves comfortable."

She left them there and climbed the elegant marble staircase and disappeared off sight. As Harry and Ginny scanned the whole living room...their mouth dropped.

"Harry..." Ginny whispered in a strained voice and gripped his arm.

In every corner of the room, wizarding pictures of Hermione can be located, all beaming and waving at them. The others however, were pictures if her and Draco, looking very happy.

Harry heard a soft whimper and felt Ginny's grip on his arm tighten. He felt the corners of his eye burn so he rashly looked away.

It's been 6 years after the defeat of Lord Voldemort. Everyone in the secret wizarding community were very pleased and relieved that the dark days were finally over. Even the ones who fought Voldemort and his Death Eaters were indeed very happy at the outcome of the battle. However, they also suffered a great price...the loss of a very special friend...

When the fighting finally stopped, everyone cheered...they had finally won and the reign of the dark wizards was stopped. Harry and Ron searched for Hermione to make sure she's ok. But as they scanned the joyful crowd, they didn't find her. Fear rushed to their chest, they ran and searched for her, shouting her name. As they walked, they heard a loud anguished cry. They immediately ran to the direction to where the sound was and what they saw drained the blood from their faces...

Hermione Granger's lifeless body, cradled by the sobbing Draco...

The two of them couldn't even move, silent tears fell on their insipid faces. Harry fell on his knees beside Hermione and Draco. He lifted his hand to caress her cold cheek... more and more tears kept on falling.

_She's gone..._

Harry was snapped from his reverie as he heard footsteps descending from the stairs. Ginny wiped her tears and took several deep breaths to calm herself down.

Draco emerged from the door. His face does not have the usual smirk, he lost his arrogance. Instead, he looks pleasant and is smiling serenely at the two of them...

This is the aftermath of the war for Draco Malfoy

...pain beyond pain...

…the grief of losing someone very important...

He lost himself...

Harry would have wanted the old Draco back, it pains him a lot to see him like this. He would have even wanted him to call him 'Potty Head' or 'Scarhead' again, if this will bring him back.

Everything changed in their 7th year in Hogwarts. Harry couldn't even remember the fine details but it was that year that Draco finally turned to the their side. At first, none of them believed him, he was an enemy after all, how were they sure that he wasn't a traitor? But Dumbledore believed Draco and welcomed him with open arms. He even appointed him Head Boy, much to Hermione's dismay because she's the newly appointed Head Girl.

Harry never knew how, Hermione didn't relate to him how she and Draco got together but it came such a surprise to them to see Hermione and Draco get along with each other. Ron was furious and refused to talk to her and accused her as a traitor. Harry on the other hand, tried to talk some sense to her but she refused point-blank to heed him. She's insisting that Draco is finally a changed man and that they should also make up with him. Both Harry and Ron declined her offer.

But they ate their words...

After their graduation, Draco and Hermione got married and Harry and Ron were there, supporting her. She is their best friend after all and they can never hate her. Little by little, they learned to accept Draco, he is still of course, an arrogant prat, but he loves Hermione, and that's all that matters.

But all their happiness were short lived when the war finally broke out. Harry didn't know that the last time he'll ever talk to Hermione was when she told him 'good luck' and 'see you'...

Everyone was devastated when she died. But Draco isolated himself from the rest and kept locked inside his room in the Manor. All of them visits him everyday but he refused to go out even if his mom pleaded. Narcissa cried to them and told that Draco refused to eat for weeks. But after almost a month of solitary confinement, Draco finally went out. They were at the living room that day and was surprised to see Draco walk in. His eyes were blank, his face was expressionless and he's paler then ever. Narcissa ran to him and hugged him, even Ginny and Luna joined in, they were all crying.

As the days progresses, a big change can be noticed from Draco, he's not pale anymore and his face is not expressionless, instead, he's always smiling and being nice to them. Ginny often bites her lip to stop herself from crying, Ron looks away. They couldn't stand the extreme suffering they're seeing from Draco...

"Harry? Hey, Harry?"

"Huh? What?" He looked up to see Draco sitting in the armchair beside Ginny, looking at him.

"I asked you if you want to go in a vacation in France next thursday." He said. "Mother said it'll be nice if we can all go."

"Uh...yeah, sure. Th-That would be great."

"What's the matter? You look pale."

"N-Nothing."

"Um, Draco, mom asked me to give you this." Ginny handed the basket to Draco. "It's mince pies and treacle tart."

"Wow, thanks. They look nice." He smiled as he took a whiff of the contents inside. "Say thank you to her from me."

Silence fell to them. Finally, Ginny couldn't hold it anymore...

"D-Draco, why're all these pictures in here?" She blurted out.

Draco didn't answer immediately. His eyes just roamed around the place...

"I want to see her everywhere I walk..." He said softly, a sad smile on his lips. "I want to see her smiling and waving at me...looking very happy...looking alive..."

At this, Ginny burst into tears. "D-Draco...she's gone. I know all of can't...we can never forget her and no one's asking you to." She choked. "But...but if you'll just accept it Draco...just accept the fact that she'll never come back..."

Draco slowly shook his head, the sad smile still traced on his lips. "I can't do that...I tried to, but I can't...I love her so much...She has always been there for me...But I failed her, I left her during battle. That's why...that's why..." He heaved a sigh. "Now, I promised that I'll never leave her again...and that's what I'll do..."

Not a single tear fell from his face but he's not looking at them. Ginny opened her mouth to respond but Harry puts a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She looked at Harry who shook his head...

"So, about the vacation in France..." Harry hastily changed the subject. Draco is looking at them again and talking quite enthusiastically. After several minutes, Ron and Luna arrived with their son, Michael at their tail. The little boy ran and jumped to Draco's lap. He laughed and ruffled the boy's hair.

Narcissa called for them and informed that the table is all set and they can all eat. So, all of them hurried at the dining room.

As they ate their sumptuous meal, Harry couldn't help but glance at the smiling Draco and a horrible pity rushed to him. He realized that Draco didn't just loose himself...

He lost his entire life...and the only thing that's keeping him alive are the memories of Hermione he's desperately clinging to to survive...

* * *

**NOTE OF THE AUTHOR: **Hiyah! Thanks so much for reading .


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